Turnbull wants to “do it all” as he lays down marker to Celtic midfield mainstays

Neil Lennon finally got his man when David Turnbull put pen to paper on a deal believed to be worth £3.25million and end a transfer saga that had lasted more than a year.

There had always seemed to be little doubt about the Scotland Under-21 international’s next destination, almost as if the Hoops had first refusal on the talented midfielder and, after proving his fitness and return to form, he couldn’t wait to make the move with The Daily Record reporting on where he sees his future in green and white:

“I was confident a chance like this could come around again, especially when I was back training. After all of the horrible stuff, I had it in my head that this was my aim and my goal and I knew nothing was going to change footballing ability-wise.

“Luckily, I’ve come back and it’s all worked out. I’m just delighted. I’ll never take anything for granted ever again, training, playing games, everything about football. I want to take in everything that happens, on and off the park, and just enjoy it as much as I can, and not look back.”

And when asked what he feels is his best position, the 21-year old said:

“I’d take any position but I’d probably say a number eight or number 10 box-to-box position. I like to do it all. I believe in my ability. I feel like I can come here and make an impact. I always believed in my ability. After the injury, not much changed. It was always in my head that I would come back and be the same player. I just took it day by day.”

With more quality around him now he doesn’t need to “do it all” and will – until Scott Brown retires – be competing with Callum McGregor and Ryan Christie for a starting place, that he has the versatility to play a number of roles will allow him to still get plenty of game time whilst he is developing and without weakening the team.

Turnbull has the potential to be a generational player in terms of what he could bring to Celtic’s engine room, he will, however, have to adapt to having less room to play in and will never have faced packed defences playing for Motherwell.

There’s not often a signing is met with universal praise amongst the support but Turnbull’s arrival is one that could prove to be key in Lennon’s side continuing to dominate Scottish football, and one that could prove to be a success in more ways than one.